Container handling mechanism



Nov 7, 1933. F. N. BECKER CONTAINER HANDLING MECHANISM 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 8, 1932 Nov. 7, 1933. F. N. BECKER CONTAINER HANDLING MECHANISM Filed March 8, 1932 3 SheetsSheet 2 llllllllllllllllillll Filed March 8, 1932 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 r W e w I Becker Patented Nov. 7, 1933 g 1,934,583 ooN'rAINsia HA nLiNe MECHANISM Frank N. Becker, Drifton, Pa, assigncr to .le'ddo- Highland Coal Company, Jeddo, Pa, a corporation of Pennsylvania Application Mai-ch s, .1932 Serial No. 597,582

21 Claims. (01, 2 1 -38) This invention relates to container-handling that the truck body be either made over-size mechanism and more particularly to an apin width or depth in order to accommodate the paratus for handlingheavy containers such as container. Accordingly, important objects of those referred to in the prior application of the present invention are first, the provision of 5 D0nald Markl'e, Serial No 535,967, filed May S, a handling apparatus for the containers having 1931, for Method ofshipping coal and apparatus means to engage the container bail and elevate therefor, in transferring thesaine from railway the container to deposit it upon a truck, which cars to an automotiveor other dirigible vehicle. may be manipulated and controlled by a single .In the application above mentioned, a system operator; second, the provision oi": apparatus of '10 of handling coal, 'or a similar substance, is dethis character which will control the movement scribed wherein the coal is placed in containers of the container during shifting thereof frond the each having a "door and a bail at one endand vertical to the horizontal position; and third, the each receiving a ton, or twotons thereofat the provision of mechanism to be mounted upon the mines. The containers'are sealed and placed in truck or other vehicle for co-action with and a fiat 'c'ar, delivere'dto the railway yard and at reception of the container which is so constructed it s this yard are transferred to amotortruck or that the rotation point about which the container other vehicle for delivery to the consumer. moves during its transfer from a vertical to a During filling and transportation the con horizontal position is transferred from a corner tainers are vertically arranged to allow convenedge of the contai er bottom to a point more ient access in filling and in order that they may nearly at the opposite edge thereof, with r the not occupy too great a space in the railway cars result that the space lost in transfer of the conandumay be conveniently po'siticnedforengaga' tainer' from its horizontal to its vertical position ment by hoisting apparatus for transferring is materially reduced.

them from the car to the motortruck. 1 A further object oi" the invention is to produc During transportation in the motor truck they an apparatus of the character last described 1 are horizontally disposed *in'ordcrthatthe coni which includes rneenis for shifting the container tents th r f m y readily m v d, an r automaticallyas it is moved from its vertical to preferably positionedwith their ends having the -its horizontal position so that the lost spa-eels doors toward one 'sideor'end of the truckand stillfurther reduced.

ata slight inclination downwardlyto such side These and other objects I attain by the con- 85 i or end so that their contents will shift there struction shown in'the accompanying drawings from upon opening of the door wherein, forthe purpose of illustration; 1 have -In practical application of this invention, it shown a preferred embodiment of my invention has been discovered that it is extremely'difiicult and wherein: I

' to manipulate the containers botl'r-in removing Fig. 1 is a perspective view illustrating conthe same from the, cars andin placingthein in tainer apparatus constructed in accordance with position upon the truck; r I my invention, the car-to-vehicle transfer mecha- Hoists of ordinary construction including nism being illustrated in solid lines in the act of flexibly supported hoistinghooks are unsatiscompleting the placement of a container in the 40' factory due both to the facts that theyaredifcradle upon a truck and in dotted lines in the 95 1 ficult to ho d against rotation as e rds the act ofreniovinga container fromarailway car; supporting hooir and require the services of a Fig. 2 is a plan viewoi the cradle, portions beman in placing thishcok in engagement with ing broken'away; the hail of the container and tothe fact that Fig.3 is a side elevation thereof, a container they are extremely difficultxtoispot over the being illustrated in solidlines in the initial posi- 1G0 truck and to manipulatein lowering the contion occupied when applied to the cradle, in container'from a vertical to a'. horizontal-position. struction lines in a position where it is substan- Fu rther more, where such hoists have fixedtravel tially seated in the cradle and in dotted lines in its it is nearly impossible to place the truck-iso'that completely seated position. r i f the container may be accurately positionedf'and 5 v Fig; 4 is a rear elevation of the cradle; u

even in event it is accurately positioned while; Fig. 5 is a section on line 55 of Fig. 2; and vertically disposed, in shiftingthe container from Fig. 6 is a side elevation showing the hook 1 its vertical to its horizontal position the container mechanism employed in the car-to-vehicletransis moved 're'ar'wardly or to one side of thet ruclr fer mechanism g "for 'a' dist'ai'rceequaltoits depth, thusjrequiring Referring now more particularly to the draw "1195' ings, the numeral 10 generally designates a vehicle for transportation of the containers from the railroad yard to the customer; 11, a railway car for transportation of the containers from the mines to the yards and 12 a transfer apparatus for transferring the containers C from the cars 11 to the vehicle 10.

In accordance with the present invention, I equip the vehicle bed 10 with a cradle 13 for the reception of the containers C, this cradle being at present shown as formed in two duplicated sections each adapted for the reception of one of the containers. It will be obvious that any desired number of sections may be provided and since these sections are formed in duplicate a description of one thereof will be here given.

Each section is of a length greater than the length of containers C and of less length than the combined lengths of an end and side thereof and comprises side members 14 formed of angle iron, one flange 15 being horizontally disposed and inwardly directed, and the other flange 16 thereof vertically disposed and preferably having its upper end outwardly flared as indicated at 17. The

side members 14 are connected by transverselyextending tie bars 18 at the under surfaces of the horizontal flanges l5 and at their rear ends are connected byend member 20. The frame work thus provided is supported by a series of brackets 21 of decreasing height so that one end of the container is higher than the other and the end members 19 and 20 associated with these ends will be hereinafter referred to as the lower end memher and the higher end member respectively.

The higher end member is made of considerable height and has at its upper end extension guides 22 the upper ends of which fiare outwardly at 22a.. Similarly, the sides formed by flanges 16 are, adjacent this end member, vertically extended by means of strips 23 forming guides and having their upper ends outwardly flared at 23--a.

In advance of the upper end member a distance slightly less than one-half the horizontal depth of the container C, the flanges 15 of the side members 14 are cut away and a substantial continuation or downward deflection thereof provided by means of curved guide plates 25 each comprising a cambered length of angle iron having its horizontal flange 25a inwardly directed and the vertical flanges 25b connected to the side member 14 by welding plates 26 to said vertical flanges 25b of the guide plates 25 and 16 of the side members 14 respectively. A plate 24 connects the flanges 15 of the side member between the rear ends of guide plates 25 and the rear end member, said plate constituting a support to initially receive the container C as hereinafter described. At the forward end of the cutaway section of the horizontal flanges a transverse pivot element supports rollers 2'7 for a purpose presently to appear. The end member 19 comprises upstanding angle iron guide members 28 the upper terminals of which are bent to cause one flange thereof to flare outwardly and forwardly and the other flange thereof to flare outwardly and to one side, thus producing directing cams, the purpose of which will presently become obvious.

In use of this apparatus the container C is placed'upon the plate 24 with one wall thereof immediately adjacent the upper or rear endwall 20 of the section, positioning of the container being assisted by guides 22 and 23 at this end of the section. Referring to Fig. 3 wherein the lower end of a container is shown in conjunction with an outside view of the apparatus, it will be noted that when the container is so positioned the forward edge of plate 24, which will hereinafter be referred to as a tipping pivot, engages the container more nearly the rear face thereof so that the preponderance of weight of the container is disposed in advance of the pivot and if elevating support for the container is now relieved the container will tend to rotate about the pivot toward a horizontal position. The overbalance of the container provided is preferably such that there is little tendency of the container to slip from the pivot until it has been tilted through a very considerable angle and when it does so slip it will fall upon the horizontal flanges 25a of the guide member 25 and be supported thereby, at this time having its forward lower corner located but a short distance above these flanges. It will be noted that those portions of the horizontal flanges 25--a immediately in advance of the pivot are arranged in contact with the bed of truck 10 so that they will support the shock of the container C falling thereagainst. A slight further tipping of the container will cause the side of the container to come in engagement with the rollers 2'? which will act as a pivot upon which the container may rotate and, further, as an antifriction means upon which the container may slide rearwardly whenever it is free to do so. When it approximates a horizontal position, the end of the. container which has been lowered and which contains the door will come into contact with the cams 28 and these cams will serve both to wedge the container rearwardly over the antifriction means 27 and to transversely align the upper end of the container in event of any slight displacement thereof.

With the proportionate construction illustrated in the drawings, the space lost as a result of the tipping is considerably less than one-half of the width of the base of the container and the member 13 thus provides both a means for transferring the container from a vertical to a horizontal position and a means for shifting it longitudinally during the transfer.

The car-to-vehicle transfer mechanism 12 comprises a traveling body 29 preferably of the caterpillar tractor type supporting through a turntable 30 a mast 31 adjustable as to its vertical angle and having a boom 32 which may be elongated or shortened, and raised or lowered through suitable control mechanisms generally designated by cables 33. At the end, this boom is provided with a hook element 34 adapted to engage the bail 35 of the container C, said hook element embodying a support 36 rigid to the boom axis upon the mast may be readily positioned by a single operator, stationed so that he may observe the boom end and the container and at the same time manipulate the controls, to first engage the hook with the bail of the container mounted in the car, then elevate the container by the boom until it clears the car, then swing.

the container until the same overlies the cradle 13 and may be lowered into position upon the tipping pivot 24, following which further lowerand ec aeting with the hase'ofan entering con ing of the boom will result in tipping of the-container in the manner heretofore described.

Attention is directed to the fact that the boom" being rigid and connected to the hail through turntable of the mast for it is not material that the container be accurately spotted by reason of the-provision of the diverging guides 22 and 23.

The bails 35'of the containers C are rigid to the containers and are, preferably, made with a central section of such shape that the container tends to centralize itself upon the hook when supported thereby. The doored'end of the container C is preferably provided With apair of doors D so that without regard to which side of the container is disposed uppermost an opening may be provided adjacent what is the lowermost wall of the container when it is disposed in the cradle. The hook element 34 should be of such depth that the boom 32 may be horizontally disposed over the bail of one container C while the hook is being engaged with the bail of a second container.

Since the construction hereinbefore set forth is, obviously, capable of a certain range of change and modification without many manner departing from the spirit of my invention, I do not wish to be understood as limiting myself thereto except as hereinafter claimed.

I claim:

1. In container-handling mechanism for transferring heavy containers from vertical 'to horizontal position, a cradle to receive the container when in horizontal position, said cradle having at one end thereof a support to receive the 'con-' tainer and comprising a pivot about which the container may swing with its upper'end moving in the direction of length of the cradle, and means at the opposite end of the cradle to engage the upper end of the container and shift the 0011- tainer longitudinally during the final portion of its movement to horizontal position.

2. In container-handling mechanism for transferring heavycontainers from vertical to horizontal position, a stationary cradle to receive the container when in horizontal position, said cradle having at one end thereof a support to receive the container and comprising a pivot about which the container may swing with its upper end moving in the direction of length of the cradle, and a guide at said end of the cradle projecting above said support and co-acting with the base of a vertically entering container to guide the same into such engagement with the support that the center of gravity of the container. lies in a transverse vertical plane between the pivot and the opposite endof the cradle.

3. In container-handling mechanism for transfer'ring heavy containers from vertical to, horizontal position, a cradle to receive the container when 'in horizontal position, said cradle having at one end thereof a support to receive the contain er and comprising a pivot about which the container may swing with its upper end moving in the direction of length ofthe cradle, a guide at'said -end. of the cradle projectingiabove saidsupport talhf to' guide the same ii'lto such engagement with the support that the center of gravity of the container lies in atransverse vertical plane between the pivot and the opposite 'end of the cradle, and means at the opposite end of thecradle to engage the upper end of theco'ntainer and shift the container longitudinally during thefinal'portion of its movement to horizontal position. a

' 4. In eontainer=handling mechanism for transferring heavy containers from vertical to'horizontal position, a cradle to receive the container when in horizontal position, said cradle having at one end thereof a support to receive the con- I tainer and comprising a pivot about which the container may'swi'ng with its upper end movmg in the direction of length of the cradle, and

means for supporting a container while placing the same upon said support operable to exert longitudinal pressure on the container during its rotation about the pivot.

5. In container-handling mechanism for trans ferring heavy containers from vertical to hori zontalposition, a cradle to receive the container when in horizontal position, said cradle having at one end thereof a support to receive the container and comprising a pivot about which the container may swing with its upper end moving in the direction of length of the cradle, means for supporting a container while placing the same upon said support operable to exert longicontainer may swing withits upper end moving in the direction of length of the cradle, means for supporting a container while placing the same upori 'said support operable to exert longitudinal pressure on the container during'its rotation about the pivot, and a roller at thebottom of 1 said cradle adjacent said support and against which the side of the contaiher-engagesafter a predetermined movement toward horizontal position-.-

7. In container-handling mechanism for transw ferring heavy containers from vertical-to horizontal position, a cradle to receive the container when inhorizontal position, said cradle having at one end thereof a support to receive the container and, comprising a pivot about which the container may swing with its upper end moving in the direction oflength of the cradle, means for supporting a container while placing the same upon said support operable to exert longitudinal pressure on the container during its rotation about the pivot,' mean's at -the opposite end or the cradle to engage the upper end of the container and shift the container longitudinally during the final portion of its movement tohorizontal position, and a roller at the bottom of said cradle in advance of said pivot and against which the side of the container engages after a prede-- termined movement toward horizontal position.

'8. In container-handling mechanism for trans fer-ring heavy containers-fromvertical to horizon tal position, a cradle to receive the container when in horizontal position, said cradle having at one end thereof a support to receive the container and comprising a pivot about whichthe container may swing with its upper end moving in the direction of length of the cradle, and a roller at the bottom of said cradle in advance of said pivot and against which the side of the container engages after a predetermined movement toward horizontal position.

9. In container-handling mechanism for transferring heavy containers from vertical to horizontal position, a cradle to receive the container when in horizontal position, said cradle having at one end thereof a support to receive the container and comprising a pivot about which the container may swing with its upper end moving in the direction of length of the cradle, means at the opposite end of the cradle to engagev the upper end of the container and shift the container longitudinally during the final portion of its,

movement to horizontal position, and a roller at the bottom of said cradle in advance of said pivot and against which the side of the container engages after a predetermined movement toward horizontal position. I

10. In container-handling mechanism for transferring heavy containers from vertical to horizontal position, a cradle to receive the con-.

tainer when in horizontal position, said cradle having at one end thereof a support to receive the container and comprising a pivot about which the container may swing with its upper end moving in the direction of length of the cradle, a guide at said end of the cradle project ing above said support and co-acting with the base of an entering container to guide the same into such engagement with the support that the center of gravity of the container lies in atransverse vertical plane between the pivot and the opposite end of the cradle, and a roller at the.

bottom of said cradle in advance of said pivot and against which the side of the container engages after a predetermined movement toward.

horizontal position. l I

11. In container-handling mechanism for transferring heavy containers from vertical to horizontal position, a cradle to receive the container when in horizontal position, said cradle having at one end thereof a support to receive the container and comprising a pivot about which the container may swing with'its upper end moving in the direction of length of the cradle, a guideat said end of the cradle projecting above said support and co-acting with thebase of an entering container to guide the same into such engagement with thesupport that the center of gravity of the container lies in a transverse vertical plane between the pivot and the opposite end of the cradle, means at the opposite end of the cradle to engage the upper end of the container and shift the container;longitudinally during the final portion of itsmovement to horizontal position, and a roller at the bottom of said a guide at said end of the cradle projecting above 7 l3. In container-handling mechanism forv transferring heavy containers from vertical to horizontal position, a cradle to receive-the container when in horizontal position, said cradle having at one end thereof a support to receive the container and comprising a pivot about which the container may swing with its upper end moving in the direction of length of the cradle, a guide at said end of the cradle projecting above said support and co-acting with the base of an entering container to guide the same into such engagement with the support that the center of gravity of the container lies in a transverse vertical plane between the pivot and the opposite end of the cradle, means at the opposite end of the cradle to engage the upper end of the container and shift the container longitudinally during the final portion of its movement to horizontal position, and means for supporting a container while placing the same upon said support operable to exert longitudinal pressure on the container during its rotation about the support.

14. Apparatus for handling heavy bailed containers in transferring the same from railway cars in which the containers are vertically disposed to dirigible vehicles in which the containers are to be horizontally disposed, said apparatus comprising a rotatable mast, a boom adjustable as to the length and swingable about a horizontal pivot on the mast, means for controlling the oscillation and extension of said boom, grasping means including a bail-engaging part rigidly secured to one end of theboom and a horizontal support upon the vehicle to which the container may betransferred by said boom, said support comprising a pivot about which the container may rotate under control of the boom, said grasp-e ing means being constructed and arranged to maintain engagement with the bail of the container permitting the application of pressure to the container to maintain the same in engagement with the support.

15. Apparatus for handling heavy bailed containers in transferring the same from railway cars in which the containers are vertically disposed to dirigible vehicles in which the con-- tainers are to be horizontally, disposed, said apparatus comprising a rotatable mast, a boom. adjustable as to length and swingable about a horizontal pivot on the mast, means for controlling the oscillation and extension of said boom,

. grasping means including a bail-engaging part rigidly secured to one end of the boom, a horizontal support upon the vehicle to which the container may be transferred by said boom, said support comprising a pivot about which thecontainer may rotate under control of the boom, said grasping means being constructed and arranged to maintain engagement with the bail of the container permitting the application of pressure to the container to maintain the same in 4 engagement with the support, and a guide associated with said pivot guiding the container into engagement with the pivot at a point such that the center of gravity of the container is disposed at one side of the pivot.

16. The method of transferring heavy containers from vertical to horizontal position con sisting in supporting the container when vertical'from its bottom surface by a support disposed above the general plane in which the lower side of the container is to be disposed when horizontal and controlling rotation of the container about the support as a pivot from vertical to horizontal position while applying pressure in a direction longitudinal to the container to maintain its engagement with the support.

17. The method of handling heavy containers in transferring the same from vertical to horizontal position, consisting in supporting the same when vertical from its bottom surface by a support disposed above the general plane in which the lower side of the container is to be disposed when horizontal and located to one side'of the center of gravity of the container and controlling rotation of the container about the support as a pivot from vertical to horizontal position while applying pressure'in a direction longitudinal to the container tomaintain its engagement with the support.

18. In apparatus of the character described, a stationary support about which a container may be rotated, means for guidin ly supporting the container to deliver it upon the support comprising a part for controlling rotation of the container about the support from vertical to horizontal position while exerting longitudinal pressure upon the container to maintain it in engagement with the support.

19. In container-handling mechanism for transferringheavy containers from vertical to horizontal position, a stationary bed to receive the container when in horizontal position, said bed having at one end thereof a support to receive the container when vertical and act as a pivot about which the container may swing with its upper end moving longitudinally of the bed, and means for controlling rotation of the container about the pivot including means for exerting longitudinal pressure upon the container to maintain it in engagement with the support.

20. In container-handling mechanism i'or transferring heavy containers from vertical to horizontal position, a bed to receive the container when in horizontal position, said bed having a support to receive the container and comprising a pivot about which the container may swing, and means on the bed to engage the upa per end of the container and shift the container longitudinally during the final portion of its movement to horizontal position.

21. 'In container-handling mechanism for transferring heavy containers from vertical to horizontal position, a bed to receive the container when in horizontal position, said bed having a 100 support to receive the container and comprising a pivot about which the container may swing, means on the bed to engage the upper end of the container and shift the container longitudinally during the final portion of its movement to hori- 105 zontal position, and means for controlling rotation of the container about the pivot including means for exerting longitudinal pressure upon the container to maintain it in engagement with the support.

FRANK N. BECKER. 

